OVERBECK’S in Salcombe is opening its doors for Valentine’s weekend and have announced the blooming of their ‘mother and daughter’ trees.

The team of staff and volunteers at the National Trust house and garden, perched on the cliffs above Salcombe, are ‘happy to announce’ that the recent torrential rain and howling winds have not deterred their ‘mother’ and ‘daughter’ Magnolia campbellii Overbecks from ‘heralding the beginning of Spring’.

Already in bloom, a few months early due to the mild winter, the trees produce very large dense flowers with a deep pink flush at the base.

Lucinda Heron, the new operations manager at Overbecks, says she is ‘very excited to see the beautiful blooms defying the weather and can understand why visitors are always so delighted when they get the chance to see them in all their glory.’

The ‘mother’ tree collapsed in 1999, but miraculously formed re-growth and reshaped itself. The ‘daughter’ tree, whose seed was taken from the ‘mother’ tree at Overbeck’s, first started flowering in January 1950.

Visitors start enquiring from January as to the well-being of the trees, with outings planned especially to enjoy their splendour and to take photographs.

Lucinda continued: ‘We are hoping that some of the visitors will submit their photographs into our very own Overbeck’s Garden Photographer of the year competition, running from 13 February to the 31 July.

‘All ages are welcome to enter. If you need any tips to help you take that special photo, then come and have a look at our International Garden Photographer of the Year exhibition, running from March 1 to May 31.’

Overbeck’s is open from 11am to 5pm every day until October 30.